The Vacation
by bionic4ever
Summary: Steve and Jaime have been sent to an idyllic tropical paradise for two weeks, to hopefully recover from what Lisa Galloway put them through.  Will it bring them closer together, or drive them apart?  This one is STEAMY!
1. Chapter 1

**The Vacation**

Chapter One

_The vision was startling. Jaime stood frozen in the doorway, tears streaming silently down her face, while the woman Steve was making love to – the one who, up until this moment, he'd __**thought**__ was Jaime – threw her head back and began to laugh. He stretched as far as he could, but couldn't quite reach the 'Real Jaime' and as he watched in mute, paralyzed horror, she slowly began to fade away...and disappear._

Steve woke up so quickly that, at first, he didn't know where he was. **Vacation –** as he became more alert, he tried to reassure himself. This was a vacation; Jaime was safe and asleep in the next room and Lisa Galloway was back in prison, where she belonged. He and Jaime were spending two weeks in an idyllic, private paradise, hoping to re-connect but also desperately needing to heal. Lisa's escape from prison and her seduction of Steve – under the guise of being Jaime, of course – had shaken both Steve and Jaime to the very cores of their souls.

It was still the middle of the night, their first night together on the island, but Steve knew that sleep had just become out of the question. Resigning himself to beginning the day early, he trudged into the kitchen to start the coffee.

- - - - - -

_Jaime, unable to move or speak, could only watch as Steve pleasured a woman with her face and her voice – but it was definitely not her body Steve was doing that to! He seemed oblivious to her presence in the doorway, completely entranced by the pseudo-Jaime. Jaime-in-the-Doorway threw her head back for a blood-curdling scream...but there was only silence._

Just like Steve, Jaime woke suddenly and with no chance for any further rest. She sat in bed for a few minutes, trying to shake the ugly images from her mind. The smell of fresh coffee lured her back to reality, so she dressed quickly and headed for the kitchen. She caught a glimpse of Steve at the table, and for a split-second her mind flashed back onto the image of Steve and Lisa, on the floor of Steve's living room, naked...

_NO_ – Jaime shook her head and forced the picture away. "Good morning," she said in a soft, pleasant voice.

Steve smiled. "Dream?" he asked, getting up to pull a chair out for her.

"Yeah. Not one I cared to have again, so...I'm up."

"Me too," he told her, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder as he handed her a mug of coffee. "I put your cocoa in it for you; just had a feeling you might be up."

"Thank you." Jaime returned the smile, her eyes meeting his and staying there. It still startled her at times, how well he knew her. Whatever she was thinking, wanting or needing, usually Steve understood; he _got _her. It was equally startling to Jaime that a few minutes of the worst ugliness imaginable had somehow triggered the feelings she'd thought were gone forever. The intensity of what they'd shared in the past had hit her full-force, like a freight train straight to her heart.

Those feelings had never dimmed in Steve's heart, and he had been there to recognize the moment they had re-entered Jaime's. She had looked up at him and as soon as their eyes met, he knew he was once again looking at _his_ Jaime. Unfortunately, 'his' Jaime had just witnessed one of the blackest moments in either of their lives. When Steve realized he was with Lisa, not Jaime, his heart had broken as completely as Jaime's. His fervent hope was that the pieces could still fit back together.

The trouble was, neither one of them had any idea where to start. They were well beyond the small talk stage, but (as Jaime had pointed out to Rudy during the last of her tests) it was hard to talk about 'Steve and Jaime' and ignore the elephant in the middle of the room.

"Wanna go out and watch the sunrise?" Jaime suggested. "...in a couple of hours?"

Steve chuckled. "We could always stargaze 'til then." _But I'd rather gaze at you..._

"I'll get the blanket."

Jaime spread the blanket out on the warm sand, right beside the waterline. As they eased themselves into comfortable spots, Steve enfolded her in his arms, and she leaned back against him, sighing happily. "This is so comfortable," she whispered, tilting her head at just the right angle to kiss him. Jaime thought to herself that she could sit exactly that way forever.

Steve would definitely not have minded. They had some very serious talking to work their way through, but – for the moment at least – all was right with the world.

- - - - - -


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Jaime nestled against Steve's chest as they stretched out on the sand to watch the waves and share an occasional soft, lingering kiss. They were both careful to keep it light, allowing things to progress no further, so Jaime was confused when Steve suddenly broke away in the middle of a kiss, stood up and walked a few yards away from her. He stood silently, his arms folded in front of him, staring unseeingly out at the ocean.

She waited on the blanket, giving him a little time, but he didn't come back. When she moved to his side, Jaime longed to wrap her arms around him, kiss him and make him forget what was troubling him. She settled for placing a gentle hand on the small of his back, alerting him to her presence. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked, very softly.

"Not really."

"Steve..."

He turned to face her, and Jaime could see the anguish in his eyes. "Why did you agree to come here?" he questioned. "After what I did -"

"Ok – back it up!" Jaime shook her head. "First of all, it isn't _what you did; _it's what Lisa did – to both of us." She reached up to touch his face, trying to ease his pain. "It was ugly – it makes me sick to my stomach – but _it wasn't your fault!_ Do you hear me?" She smiled as Steve snaked a tentative arm around her waist. "We can either let it destroy us...or pull us closer together." Jaime took another step toward him and physically moved his other arm around her waist. "Personally, I vote for closer together."

"Lady, I like how you think," he conceded, finally smiling. No one else ever felt as _right _in his arms as Jaime did at that moment. He couldn't help himself; he had to kiss her. Jaime's body leaned easily into his as the kiss deepened. Their eyes met and delved deeply for the answers they both sought as their hearts began to beat in perfect harmony. Their breath grew ragged and their bodies hungered for each other, and then...the same thought hit both of them, almost at the same moment.

_What if we're in bed together, and I start seeing __**that**_ With the same synchronicity that had pulled them together, they separated, breathing heavily with need but held back by fear.

"We have..." Jaime began.

"...lots of time," Steve finished for her. Smiling just a bit uncomfortably, they took each other's hand and headed back to the villa to eat.

- - - - - -

That afternoon, Steve went for a walk while Jaime returned to the edge of the water. She walked along, digging tiny trenches in the sand with her toes and idly watching as they filled with water. In the past, being near a river, lake or stream had always seemed to bring her peace, but Jaime couldn't shake her conflicting emotions or her frustration. _I love Steve – finally, I really can feel that – and I __**want **__him! _The inner dialogue would've been easier if she'd had stones to skip across the water, but there was nothing underfoot except sand. She'd just have to make do without the rocks to help her focus.

Jaime had spent several sessions discussing what had happened with a psychologist (at Rudy's insistence) and she knew that part of her conflict came from the anger she felt at what Lisa had done, intermingled with happiness at the return of her feelings for Steve. Was she glad it had happened? Those feelings – and their love – could have been gone forever. How could something so ugly result in something so beautiful, and did that mean she was _grateful_ to Lisa? Hell, no! But...she just couldn't sort out all the directions her mind was traveling in at this rapid, confusing pace.

A gentle tap on her should brought her back to the present. Steve smiled hopefully at her, one hand behind his back. "I can leave you alone for awhile, if you want, but I thought you might like to have these." He brought the hidden hand forward, opened it, and extended it toward Jaime. In his palm, he held a half dozen smooth, flat stones, perfect for skipping.

- - - - - -

As the sun disappeared, so did the last of the bottle of wine they'd shared at dinner. They sat together on an old wooden porch swing, and Steve watched Jaime as she looked out into the night sky.

"You're deep in thought," he probed gently.

It took her a moment to blurt it out, and when she did, she couldn't look at him. "Steve...was she...good?"

Steve cupped Jaime's chin with his fingertips and carefully turned her face toward his, looking straight into her eyes before he answered. "Honestly, I was ecstatic – because I was finally with you again. At least, I thought I was. Jaime, I love you. When I was...with Lisa...every bit of me – my heart, mind, body and soul – was with _you._" As he sat with her face in his hands, Steve saw a new light in Jaime's eyes. Finally, she understood. They spent another hour just sitting there, enjoying being together, before they kissed and said goodnight, hoping for dreams as happy as the day had turned out to be.

- - - - - -


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Steve woke to the aromas of bacon and fresh coffee, and he found Jaime in the kitchen, humming to herself as she flipped a stack of pancakes onto a platter. They'd both slept straight through until morning, and it (and their talk the night before) had made a world of difference. Jaime and Steve both found themselves completely relaxed with each other; any traces of hesitance or awkwardness had been replaced by an easy sense of comfort.

"They even gave us real maple syrup!" Jaime chirped happily, setting a plate in front of Steve.

"Looks good," he told her, admiring how she seemed to glow in the early morning light.

"You aren't even looking at the pancakes!"

Steve grinned. "I know."

"And they're masterpieces," she said, joining him at the table.

"You sure are..." Steve took a bite of his pancakes and felt as warm and content as a canary-fed tabby. "Beautiful, sexy...and a master chef...so how come some lucky guy hasn't claimed you yet?"

Jaime laughed. "First of all, Colonel, I am not something to be _claimed_..." Her eyes met his, and the spark was both instantaneous and electrifying, wiping the rest of her sentence clean out of her mind.

"And the second?" Steve prompted. He shared Jaime's predicament: looking into her eyes suddenly stupefied him.

"Huh...:? Oh, right," she stammered. "Second...with the right man, I just might stake a claim of my own!"

"Is that a fact?"

"You'll find out – after breakfast!"

- - - - - -

The sun seemed warmer, colors were brighter and the breeze through the open windows seemed even more refreshing when Steve held Jaime in his arms. No other woman fit so perfectly against his chest or gave him the same wonderful 'alive' feeling. Even Lisa (as pseudo-Jaime) couldn't compare, now that he was holding the genuine article so close, gazing into eyes that turned him into jelly.

"You've got bubbles on your nose," he chuckled, gently brushing them away. They'd started washing the breakfast dishes together and ended up in a playful suds-tossing match, chasing each other around the kitchen and lobbing handfuls of soapy ammo, until they were laughing too hard to do anything but fall into each other's arms. After removing the offending suds, Steve's hand lingered, his fingertips luxuriating in Jaime's hair before coming to rest at the back of her neck, to gently but firmly pull her face close enough to kiss.

Steve's eyes delved into Jaime's, all the way down to their souls, causing Jaime to shiver with excitement. Steve postponed the kiss until they were both breathless with anticipation. When he finally claimed her mouth, it wasn't with the gentle, soft kisses of the night before. All of the love and desire he'd forced himself to keep inside for so long came rushing out into one long, deep and very passionate kiss. Jaime moaned softly, going limp in Steve's arms as his tongue teasingly darted in and out of her mouth, playing with hers as it probed just a little deeper with each motion. He swept her up into his arms in one easy movement, their lips still pressed tightly together, stealing their collective breath away as he carried her into the first bedroom they passed – his.

Steve gently put Jaime on top of the smooth, silk sheets, grinning at the fact that she had somehow unbuttoned his shirt on the short trip down the hall; when he stretched out beside her, he was already bare-chested and Jaime was eagerly drinking in the sight of him. He began unbuttoning her blouse very slowly, one button at a time and brushing his lips across the newly exposed skin before moving on to the next button. By the time he removed it, Jaime was squirming happily with desire. Steve kissed her neck and shoulders, gradually working his way down as he finished undressing her, then his lips found hers again and devoured them as Jaime worked his belt buckle loose and threw the rest of his clothes to the floor.

They were both more than ready, and Steve's eyes locked into Jaime's as he moved over her and they began a sweet dance of passion that lasted through lunchtime and well past sunset; their only hunger was for each other.

When it was over they stretched out together, satiated and blissfully entwined in each other's arms, too entranced with what they'd rediscovered to even think of moving.

- - - - - -


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"How 'bout if we just _forget _to go back?" Jaime sighed dreamily. She and Steve were welcoming the next morning's sunrise while enjoying the feel of the surf on their bare skin, 'From Here to Eternity' style. They'd slept very little, but neither one minded and they were definitely not tired.

"We've got over a week left," Steve reminded her.

"Yeah, but..."

"I know. I don't wanna lose this, either," he agreed, echoing her unspoken thought.

"But once I go back to Ojai..."

"So – don't."

"Don't what?" Jaime asked, twirling the hairs of Steve's chest while she nibbled his earlobe. "Don't nibble? Don't kiss you?"

"Don't go back to Ojai." Steve kissed her in a way that was sure to incite another round of 'bonding'. "Tell Oscar to base you out of DC." He timed his next words perfectly. Steve looked straight into Jaime's eyes as they once again became one body. "Marry me...?" he whispered.

Jaime's body moved fluidly, her hips rising to meet his as they rolled a little further into the surf. This was a new topic for their 'talk it all out' vacation, and they were certainly going to talk about it – in depth – later.

- - - - - -

"You _could _just move in with me," Steve continued, once they were again ready (and able) to talk. "But...I'd much rather make an honest woman out of ya." Jaime just smiled, so Steve nervously kept talking. "Don't wanna pressure you into something you aren't ready for -"

"I'm ready."

"I mean, there's no rush. I just thought -"

"I'm ready."

"It's something you can keep in mind, for the future, whenever -"

"_Steve!" _Jaime finally put a gentle hand to his face, stopping the flood of words. Once he was quiet, she grinned. _"I am ready – __**now**__."_

- - - - - -

The two ecstatic co-conspirators winked at each other and settled into two seats as far from each other as they could get on a private plane. (The pilot, after all, was in radio contact with Washington.) They folded their arms across their chests and uttered not a single word through the entire flight home. They never even glanced at each other, both to keep up the ruse and because Jaime might have collapsed in a fit of giggles.

Oscar and Rudy were both waiting to meet the plane. They could've sent a car, but were dying of curiosity; had the vacation had its desired effect? Their eyes grew wide as Jaime flounced down onto the tarmac – alone and angry.

"Thirteen days and twelve hours too long, if you ask me!" she snapped, scowling as she practically threw herself into the back of the limo. Only after she was completely settled in did Steve emerge from the airplane, looking as though he'd had a thoroughly miserable flight.

"Is there another car?" Steve asked. "I don't think she wants me riding in that one."

Oscar and Rudy exchanged a raised eyebrow glance. "Get in, Pal," Oscar said softly, wondering how on Earth his two friends could've possibly screwed up two weeks in Paradise.

"I'll...walk," Steve insisted stubbornly.

"Get in the car," Oscar said in a quiet but authoritative voice. He got into the limo's middle seat with Steve while Rudy sat in the back with Jaime. Neither newly-returned vacationer spoke even one word.

"What happened?" Oscar asked as the limo pulled away.

"Ask _him," _Jaime muttered.

"Steve?" Oscar probed, as gently as possible.

"Nothing. Nothing happened. Not a damn thing," Steve grumbled, struggling to keep a straight face. He didn't dare look at Jaime.

The ride continued in silence for a good ten miles before Jaime shifted in her seat and unwittingly moved her hands to her lap. Rudy took one look and chuckled out loud. "Oscar?" he laughed, "looks like we've been had." Jaime realized what she'd done and quickly moved to hide the evidence, but Rudy happily grasped her left wrist. "Uh-uh, Honey," he told her. "I already saw it. Now show Oscar." Rudy was grinning so wide that it almost hurt.

"I was gonna show you when we got to the office," Jaime sighed, holding up her left hand, which sported a brand-new, shiny-gold _wedding ring_. "Had you going, didn't we?" She leaned forward to happily kiss her new husband for the first time since they'd left the island.

"How on Earth...?" Rudy wondered. "That place is isolated!"

"We have friends in high places; just made a few calls, hired a plane to fly in the judge, and...voila!" Steve said, grinning too.

"Oscar?" Jaime added. "Thank you for sending us off together like that. We had the perfect vacation!"

END


End file.
